KLOTHOS

by Teresa Rodriguez ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A

In Rodriguez’s novel, the hunt is on for an elusive particle that can extend life spans.

Dr. Kyle Davies has devoted his days and his immense wealth to finding the “life-force particle.” He laments losing so many family members that this particle may have saved by adding years to their lives. Davies gathers four young scientists: Raj Patel, Shellie Murphy, Tom Medford, and Yvonne Shillings. They hail from all around the globe; Raj left India to study at MIT in Boston, while Yvonne has spent the last eight years at Berkeley, California, the location of the new team’s lab. Working under a two-year deadline, they put a particle accelerator to good use finding and harnessing the life-force particle. The project eventually includes performing a variety of increasingly invasive tests on inmates. When the appearance of microscopic, luminous threads indicates a potential breakthrough, the scientists are ecstatic, naming their discovery Klothos and embroidering the term on snazzy new lab coats. But not everyone involved has honorable intentions: Davies’ privileged nephew, Jack Sterling, who’s secured funding and inmate subjects for the lab, has outsized ambitions. He works on commercializing Klothos—extracting Klothos “units” (representing years of life) from people for a price and selling them to others for a substantial profit. Jack hopes to keep this scheme under wraps for as long as possible to maximize his payday. This unfortunately entails somehow ensuring that the Klothos team stays quiet, whether they’re willing or not.

The author’s tale moves at a leisurely pace as Davies and his team gradually get to know one another. The author effectively uses this narrative real estate to develop an intriguing cast. The scientists are distinctive personalities; Aussie Tom is captivated by “extremely minute particles,” while Irish Shellie brings a doctorate in virology to the table. Their backstories are absorbing, especially Yvonne’s: Her father drunkenly drove a car into oncoming traffic, killing himself as well as Yvonne’s brother, sister, and mother. The narrative aptly explores the moral implications of the scientists’ tests, as extracting the inmates’ Klothos effectively shortens their lives. There are plentiful passages of dialogue that brim with medical jargon, but these scenes are brief and easy to follow, as the scientists clearly articulate what they’re doing or trying to do. The narrative’s latter half transforms into something of a thriller as Jack’s lack of ethics proves to be outright sinister. This section also spawns an entirely new subplot that shifts the focus predominantly to one individual and largely sidelines two previously significant characters. Still, the Klothos plot stays compelling throughout, as does the convincing romance between Raj and Yvonne. Rodriguez doesn’t shy from profanity and includes a handful of sexually explicit scenes, but depictions of violence are nominal, which suits the author’s measured approach. Although this book is a solid stand-alone work, the ending points to a sequel.

Shrewd characterization drives this fusion of melodrama and medical thriller.

Pub Date: N/A

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 463

Publisher: Manuscript

Review Posted Online: April 28, 2023

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

THRILLER | TECHNICAL & MEDICAL THRILLER | GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE